M Audio Axiom Air 49 Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

M Audio's Axiom Air 49 is an exceptionally flexible midi keyboard and is a powerful tool when is used with Ableton Live. This midi keyboard has a plethora of features, making it perfect for Ableton Live.

This tutorial will explain all you need to know on using the M Audio Axiom Air 49 with Ableton Live. This includes connecting, setting up and midi mapping the Axiom Air 49.

Article Contents

1. Does the M Audio Axiom Air 49 work with Ableton Live?
2. Does the M Audio Axiom Air 49 come with ableton Live included?
3. How to connect the Axiom Air 49 to ableton
4. How to midi map the M Audio Axiom Air 49 in Ableton Live
5. The Limitations of midi mapping the Axiom Air 49
   1. Saving your Axiom Air 49 Midi Mappings is cumbersome
   2. Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one
   3. Limited Ableton parameter options to map to
   4. A great solution to these problems
6. Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the M Audio Axiom Air 49 work with Ableton Live?

To sum it up, the M Audio Axiom Air 49 is fully compatible with Ableton Live.

Ableton live provides a default midi remote script for the Axiom Air 49, meaning it will work with Ableton Live as soon as you connect it (see the section below on how to connect to ableton).

Any edition of Ableton Live, from Intro to Suite, will be compatible with any device that transmits MIDI data. This works for all editions of Live, for instance 9, 10, and 11. As the Axiom Air 49 is a MIDI enabled device, it will work with Ableton Live.

Creating your own midi mappings in Ableton is simple, and gives you the ability to control a variety of Ableton Live's components with your Axiom Air 49.

Does the M Audio Axiom Air 49 come with ableton Live included?

Yes the Axiom Air 49 comes with a free copy of Ableton Live Lite. Although it has unlimited usage, the available features are a lot less than what is available in the full versions of Ableton Live Standard or Suite.

Ableton Live has 3 main versions, Intro, Standard and Suite. Whilst Intro and Standard are very capable pieces of software, the Suite version packs more in, such as over 70GB of library sounds compared to Standard’s 10GB.

If you're looking to make sure you have the full range of Audio and MIDI effects, we suggest you go with Ableton Live Suite, as it has far more than the Standard edition.

How to connect the Axiom Air 49 to ableton

Connecting and setting up the M Audio Axiom Air 49 with Ableton Live is a relatively simple process, once you have the 2 linked together you will be able to control parameters of the software from your midi keyboard.

1. Connect the Axiom Air 49 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Axiom Air 49 and your computer.
2. Launch Ableton Live and open the MIDI preferences.
Double click the Ableton Live icon to launch the software. Then, in the top menu of Ableton, go to the Preferences menu by opening the ‘Live’ menu and clicking ‘Preferences’.
3. Select the Axiom Air 49 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Axiom Air 49 are checked.
4. Ensure that the ‘Track’, ‘Remote’ and ‘Sync’ boxes are all checked.
In the ‘MIDI’ section of this tab, make sure the ‘Track’ and ‘Remote’ boxes are checked for both the Input and Output of the Axiom Air 49 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Axiom Air 49 will now be setup and ready to use with Ableton Live.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

After successfully connecting the M Audio Axiom Air 49 to Ableton live following the steps above, you can now MIDI map the physical knobs, pads, keys etc on the device to functionality within Ableton Live by doing the following:

1. Select the MIDI Map Mode button in the top right corner of the Live window. The button should turn orange, indicating that the MIDI Map Mode is enabled.
2. Select the parameter you wish to control in Ableton by clicking it with the cursor, the parameter will become highlighted.
3. Move a control on the Axiom Air 49, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Axiom Air 49.
5. Moving the physical control on your Axiom Air 49 will now move the position of the corresponding parameter in Ableton.
6. Repeat steps 2 - 4 for any other parameters you wish to map.
7. When you’re finished mapping, press the MIDI Map Mode button again to disable it.

The Limitations of midi mapping the Axiom Air 49

Ableton's midi mapping system is a great solution for quickly mapping your Axiom Air 49, however, you must take into account some potential limitations...

Saving your Axiom Air 49 Midi Mappings is cumbersome

When saving an Ableton session, your mappings will be saved as part of that session. Therefore, if you create a new session, you will need to remap your controls.

Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one

A one-to-one MIDI mapping means that each control on your Axiom Air 49 can only be assigned to a single Ableton Live parameter.

Limited Ableton parameter options to map to

Unfortunately, Ableton's internal midi mapping mode does not provide every control option, so options such as controlling the selected track or selected device aren't possible. A full list of Ableton midi mapping options can be found here.

We have a great solution to these problems

If you're looking to get the most out of your Axiom Air 49, our Ableton Midi Script Creator tool 'Control Surface Studio' is exactly what you need!
With it, you'll be able to:
- save and re-use your Axiom Air 49's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Axiom Air 49,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Axiom Air 49, than Live's internal midi mapping mode allows.

Learn more about Control Surface Studio and see how it can help you by clicking here!

FAQ / Troubleshooting

Why can't I hear my Axiom Air 49 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Axiom Air 49 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Axiom Air 49 is selected as your audio input and output device in your audio settings.
3. Make sure that the correct driver is installed for the Axiom Air 49.
4. Make sure that the Axiom Air 49 is selected as the input device in Ableton's MIDI Preferences.